


The man who ate his shoes

by EdwardNotSoLittle



Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Character Study, Gen, hubris full throttle, terror bingo 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:42:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22537198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdwardNotSoLittle/pseuds/EdwardNotSoLittle
Summary: Summery: Commander Fitzjames's thoughts as the ships become icelocked.Terror Bingo:Sir John Franklin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12
Collections: The Terror Bingo (2019)





	The man who ate his shoes

James had to admit, it was rather amusing watching lieutenant Irving watch Jacko with fascination as she stole a biscuit of the plate before scuttling back over and climbing up onto his shoulder.

He had a feeling most of the men aboard the ships hadn’t yet seen a monkey. 

As Sir John began to speak he snapped back to attention as he should.

“News is in about Erebus. 

While she can still make headway under steam, the flagship's efficiency has been compromised.”

The look on Francis Crozier’s face at the words compromised, couldn’t even be described as concern, more so aggravation. 

If it was his own ship he’d worry. Surely not Erebus. 

“How badly compromised?”

“She can still pull two knots, maybe three, with the boiler full up.”

“Half-power, more or less?”

“Yes.” 

“As well, we know that the ice ahead is increasing dramatically, both in thickness and amount.  
But we must be nearly in sight of King William Land. Then it isn't but another 200 miles before we can pick up the western charts and draw in this final piece of the puzzle once and for all.” Sir John offered trying to ease any distress.

\-----

 _ **“Hear, hear.”**_ his own voice rang in his head.

Sir John Franklin. 

The man who ate his shoes. 

Such a disturbing title James had never wanted to ponder, the real meaning behind it, even if he was already privy to the unfortunate tale.

He could hear whistles from some of the officers and Terror’s first lieutenant, Edward Little’s deep baritone booming orders outside, the fierce gale winds carrying it all that way back to Erebus, “There should be more men picking here! Why is there only one man picking?” 

The ship gave another violent lurch, the lights flickering as it no doubt got further lodged in the ice. 

It was here at this point, as he sat in Erebus’s great cabin with Sir John, his own dinner abandoned as the other man no doubt forced himself to touch his plate, cutting the salt meat on his plate with a scowl, that James considered such a title that he’d been given.

The man who ate his shoes.

 _ **“Our situation is more dire than you may understand.”**_ Francis’ voice replayed in his head.

The man knew.

He knew that Sir John’s ego must have been driving his choices… and he and their expedition leader brushed him off like a pest. 

_”Dramatic opening shot.”_

**BOOM. BOOM. BOOM BOOM.**

Each explosion made him flinch the slightest bit, and he swallowed thickly as the loud cracking of ice and men shouting outside could be heard. He stared down at his plate silently wondering why the hell they were not on deck or out on the damn ice helping them out of the fucking mess the man had gotten them into.

_**“Please, go ahead, Francis.”** _

_**“That is not just ice ahead. It is the pack. And you are proposing that we cross it, in September. Even with leads, it could take us weeks of picking our way through it. We may not have weeks.** _

_‘Weeks at most? More like days….’_ How naive he was.

 _ **“You've seen the sun dogs, Graham? How many have there been now? Three.  
It's already a colder year than last.**_” 

Graham had spoken rarely to the other man and he had actually looked surprised by how he was called upon. 

_**“Three.”** _

_**“It's already a colder year than last--”** _

Oh how Sir John had stares at the man like he knew all of his concerns… when in truth he knew not a one of them.

_**“--I’ve been to the Arctic, - Francis.** _

The way Dundy had tried to quell his own tensions as he watched the two captain’s bicker by snacking on more biscuits with a roll of his eyes made tempted to smile but alas he couldn't,, not as the ship’s timbers groaned outside and more whistles could be heard.

_**“- On foot. And you nearly starved. Not all of your men returned... I say this with all due honor.** _

All his comments he’d made to the Irish captain now made him sick. 

How he had spat so vehemently at him. 

_**“For God’s sake, Francis.”** _

_**A captain is due his candor. So, what would you propose instead? - Wait out winter here?** _

_**”No. The exact shape of King William Land is unknown. As we discovered with Cornwallis Land, it could be King William Island, with a chance to sail around its eastern shore.** _

_**“Yes, but east would add miles. We might not be out this year after all.** _

_But only because Erebus is lame._

_If we consolidate all our coal on the less-damaged ship, we'd have enough to go for broke and get east of King William Land, possibly around it, before winter. It's our best, and probably only, chance.”_

We should go for broke.

Go for broke. 

Abandon Erebus? 

The idea had sounded absurd.

Francis had practically pleaded with them. 

_**“Hear me, John!** _

_**It won't matter if we're 200 or 2,000 miles from safe water.  
If the leads close up and we are out there in it, we'll have no idea where the current will move the pack, of which we will be a part. ** _

_**We could be forced onto the shallows on the weather side of King William and crushed to atoms, if we're even upright by then.”** _

A swell of anger and frustration filled the younger man’s chest as he thought of Francis’ more than cryptic warning he’d given them earlier… 

_**’As a trusted friend once put it This place wants us dead.’** _

_**“Who is this friend? Does he also write melodrama?”** _

He regretted those words. Badly.

Especially because now here they were.

The memory of Crozier’s notorious temper flaring to life at his words, made him cringe.

_**“Sir John, myself, Lieutenant Gore, Mr. Blanky and Mr. Reid.** _

_**Only five of us at this table are Arctic veterans.** _

_**There'll be no melodramas here.** _

_**Just live men or dead men.”** _

As soon as the man had spoken those words, it had started to make him think, but he being the kiss ass that he had been simply shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind. 

He knew now.

_**“It's certainly good to see color in your cheeks again, Francis.** _

_**But we are two weeks from finding the grail.** _

_**And it is my belief that God and winter will find us in safe waters by the end of the year.** _

_**The Sandwich Islands.** _

_**Or even further.”** _

Francis had looked almost blood thirsty… he didn’t agree with the words at all. 

Then again he’d hardly ever agreed with anything said by Sir John.

_**“If you're wrong, we are about to commit an act of hubris we may not survive.** _

_**You know what men are like when they are desperate.** _

_**We both do.** _

And the words had clearly rattled SIr John… how he’d hesitated before he could speak again. Eyes darting to stare at the table surface.

_**“I shall continue to command from Erebus, but due to her injuries, I'm putting Terror in lead position. She may not be the better ice-breaker, but she's the more powerful ship now.** _

As he stared at Sir John the normally ‘cheery’ which was a laugh, sitting there brooding in silence of his own self-loathing, it almost seemed as if there was some personal vendetta against the Irishman.

Was there?

Was that what all that had been about?

He wasn’t to pry. Even if he wished to do so. 

Slowly, very slowly Sir John met his gaze the scowl still on his space but he took a deep breath to try to quell both their nerves

“Our Lord and Father will see us through.”

At this point James didn’t know what there was he could do, what he should… he wanted to speak, his mouth opened to do so… but he found no words.

Not one.

Not for the man he had held so highly for the entire of the expedition… until now.

“Whatever morning brings.”

A shiver went up James’ spine as he recalled some of Francis’ warning.

_“Just live men or dead men.”_

**Author's Note:**

> YES I GAVE GORE THE CREDIT HE DESERVED AS AN ARCTIC VETERAN!!!


End file.
